


Latenight Drives

by Ieavethecity



Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti)
Genre: M/M, also the boys are sixteen in this haha, other than that, this is just super soft, this is relatively really fluffy but there is some internalized homophobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-12
Updated: 2020-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:34:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23117056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ieavethecity/pseuds/Ieavethecity
Summary: Richie takes Eddie for a latenight drive. The two end up having a much needed conversation
Relationships: Eddie Kaspbrak & Richie Tozier, Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier, Reddie - Relationship
Comments: 2
Kudos: 81





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> this is a very soft concept, but there is a little/elements of internalized homophobia. so please, if you're not okay with that & you know it will bother you, don't read this :)

It was three in the morning as Eddie got dressed, putting on an old sun-bleached t-shirt and some jeans, trying to remain as quiet as possible as he did so

Usually, he'd be worrying about school, if he's doing well enough and such. But it wasn't school time, it was summer. The summer heat had a tight grasp on Eddie, making it too uncomfortable to even lay in bed

Tonight was different, though. Richie had invited Eddie to hang out... however, he told Eddie to _not_ tell his mother. The simple thought of keeping a secret from Sonia in such a manner was enough to make Eddie's heart quicken a few beats 

Eddie wondered if Richie would actually even show up. An uncalled for worry, but a worry nonetheless. He hoped he would actually show, hoped he would actually be able to spend time with the dark-haired boy. The clock sprouted doubt and worry in his mind as the time went on, causing him to start quietly pacing his room

All that doubt and worry was left behind when he saw a car pull up in front of his house. ' _Shit_...' He thought to himself. All of a sudden, the reality of the situation seemed to be realized. He could so clearly picture his mother going "Oh, Eddie! Why would you do this?! Don't you realize you could get in a car-crash?!" 

Thankfully, though, Sonia slept incredibly heavily. Eddie knew she wouldn't wake up, even if he slammed the door closed as loudly as possible.The thought sent a small shiver down Eddie's spine. That thought did not stop him from quietly leaving the home. It made him want to leave even more. He was going to hang out with the boy he liked no matter the risks 

As soon as he closed the front door, he felt pure _energy_. It may have been three in the morning, but it didn't feel like it. He quickly walked to Richie's car, getting into the passenger's seat 

"Well, look at that!" Richie greeted with a smile as he shifted the car into drive "You know, you're basically a juvenile delinquent now." He said with a small smirk

Eddie rolled his eyes, though he was smiling "That's definitely a good way to greet someone..." He said sarcastically as he reached over to buckle up 

Richie chuckled softly, rolling down the windows. The sprinklers from Eddie's neighbor’s yard hissed softly, though that becomes distant as Rich pulled further away from Eddie's house

Richie turned the radio on, flipping through a few stations before finding one he liked, a rock alternative station

Richie doesn’t sleep that much either. His mind simply doesn't let him sometimes. He could be absolutely exhausted, laying in bed with 20 milligrams of melatonin in his system and he still would be kept awake. And so he drives. It helps calm him down. 

The red lights paint his face in dark shadows as he taps on the steering wheel to whatever Smiths song was playing. He gripped the steering wheel tightly, and a muscle twitches in his clenched jaw. “Are you alright?” Eddie asked with a frown, surprised at the hoarseness of his own voice. 

Richie shrugged with a slightly casual smile, the light turning green. He slams on the accelerator, causing Eddie to tightly grasp the side of his seat. No one else is on the road. Richie slowed down slightly, knowing Eddie didn't like it when he went too fast 

“I don’t get it,” Richie finally said, shaking his head a bit. He sent a glance Eddie's way “I just don’t get it.” 

“Don't get what?” Eddie asked with a slight frown

“What am I supposed to be doing?” Richie asked as he slows to a stop at a red light, again glancing over at Eddie. “Where am I supposed to be? What am I supposed to do?”

“If anyone knew the answer to that question,” Eddie smiled sadly, “we’d all be a lot happier.”

Richie shakes his head with a very small smile, then turns onto a road Eddie knew well.

“We’re going up?” He asks, pointing to the mountains. 

“I feel like looking down on something,” Richie replies “Makes my problems seem... smaller.” Eddie nodded a bit, still with a small frown 

The wind and crickets are quickly drowned out as he rounds curves and climbs up the mountain, pressing Eddie back and forth in his seat.

Months ago, Eddie would have been scared of driving with Richie. Terrified, even. His mind would immediately go to the worst. But he and the rest of the losers had been up this road dozens of times with Richie driving, and nothing bad had ever happened before. 

“I think... at the very least, you know where you belong,” Eddie finally said quietly, when Derry is below them and there was less mountain available to climb. “Here. I think.” Eddie added, eyes being drawn to the window

Richie tilts his head, eyes still glued to the road. The headlights bounce off of the signs and flash in the boys' eyes. “Maybe... Hopefully.” He said, tone uncharacteristically quiet 

The wind cuts through Eddie's clothes, making him shiver and cross his arms over his chest. Richie sees it out of the corner of his eye. He made a quick glance in Eddie's direction. “There’s a sweater in the back.” He said softly, beginning to make another turn

Eddie nodded thankfully, reaching to the back and pulling the dark blue sweater over his head. It smells softly of pine and cigarettes, and Eddie swipes off a few crumbs that fall off when the fabric rests on his stomach

“This is gonna sound stupid, but I went to a tea place today,” Richie says, slowing down and pulling over to the side of the road. “Just to watch. I wanted to see what people do.”

“And?” Eddie asked, looking to Richie. Tires crunch on gravel as he slows the car to a stop on a pullout “Everyone seemed to have something to do. Grab a coffee and go to work. Sit down for a couple hours and study some stupid summer course. Meet up with a friend and talk about nothing. They all- well,” he parked the car, turning it off and opening the door to step out 

Eddie followed him, now grateful for the woolen sweater. Once you were out of the house, it seemed to get a whole lot cooler “I guess they all seemed to know what they were doing. And I was just sitting there, like ' _Fuck_. I could be doing something- I _should_ be doing something.'" He said as he climbed onto a small rock, then sitting on top 

Eddie hesitated a moment before joining him on the rock, taking a seat next to him. The two were close to one another, shoulder to shoulder. “Maybe that was where you were meant to be,” Eddie finally said, settling down next to him. He drew his knees up to his chest, taking in a deep breath. “In that coffee shop. Wondering about the lives of those people. Maybe that’s what you’re meant for, Richie.”

“Yeah.. but that doesn't pay bills.” he murmurs with a small, sad smile, eyes dancing over the lights of the town beneath them both. Distant noises drift up- a car honking, a coyote yelling, drunk college kids running around- and Eddie is reminded that this night is not just his and Richie's

The wind plays with the hairs on the back of Eddie's neck as he tilts his head back to stare at the stars. Eddie knew Richie wasn't really asking for an actual answer- at least, not from Eddie, not tonight.

He just wants someone to hear him. That's all he ever wanted. And he knew Eddie would listen because he always listens. Not many people listen actually to what Richie has to say. They write him off as an air-head, as an attention-seeking little boy with parents who didn't give a fuck what he had to say. Eddie knew Richie wasn't that, though. He knew Richie was far, far more

Seemingly out of nowhere, Richie took Eddie's hand into his own, interlocking their fingers. Eddie's brown eyes grew large, a pink blush dusting over his cheeks, but Richie didn't notice. His eyes stayed on the town below them 

"This town is such a fucking shithole, Eds." Richie said quietly as he absentmindedly ran his slender thumb over the back of Eddie's hand. Eddie frowned a bit "It's not too ba-" Eddie cut himself off when Richie faced him. He didn't say anything, but the look on his face said more than enough. Richie's gaze was soft but somewhat saddened. 

"Richie?" Eddie finally said, then pulling his bottom lip between his teeth. "Why do you think you don't belong?" He finally asked 

Richie looked down at their hands. "Because you let me do this... Because you didn't pull away." He said this softly, calmly. Saying it out loud made his heart beat in the back of his throat. It made his chest a little heavy 

Eddie frowned as he looked at Richie, shaking his head a bit in confusion. "W-What does that even mean?" He asked, tone confused and childish. His heart also began beating faster

Richie smiled a bit at his question, looking up to the sky a moment. "Jeez, Eds..." He bit his bottom lip a moment. He tore his eyes away from the starry sky, placing them on a very confused looking Eddie

Richie let out a deep breath he hadn't even realized he had been holding. His grasp on Eddie's hand became slightly tighter, though it still remained gentle and comforting. He smiled at the boy next to him before saying "I _like_ you, Eddie. I really, really like you." 

Eddie seemed to have a wave of realization wash over him. First, his eyes grew large, then his mouth fell open. His reaction was pure awe. Shock, even. Was Richie saying what Eddie thought he was?

Eddie's silence made Richie a bit nervous "C'mon, Eds." He let out a quick, sharp breath that was a failed attempt at a chuckle "You're scaring me." He said, beginning to frown slightly himself. Was telling Eddie how he felt the right idea? Fuck, Richie was beginning to think it wasn't 

Eddie kept his eyes on Richie. "I umm..." Eddie looked down a moment at their hands "I... like you too, Richie." He looked up to meet Richie's gaze again

He surprised Eddie when he let out a quick laugh. It made Eddie flinch, thinking this may have been one of Richie's stupid jokes. But then, he saw the bright smiling curled to Richie's lips. Eddie hadn't ever seen such a brilliant and genuine and fucking _happy_ smile plastered on Richie's face before, on anyone's face for that matter.

It was a truly beautiful smile. One Eddie thought he would remember forever. Eddie thought he would want wanted to see that smile forever. It filled the smaller boy up with such happiness, such genuine gladness. That smile put Eddie at more ease than any spoken words possibly could 

A small thought made itself comfortable in Eddie's mind. ' _I want to see that smile every day until I die_.' The thought wasn't alarming or invasive. It was a comfortable, calming truth. It was like a warm weighted blanket or a mug of hot tea between cold hands.

Maybe he would tell Richie what he truly thought someday. But that day... it wasn't today


	2. Latenight Drives pt. 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> forgive me for how shitty this is lmao

Once Richie was finished laughing, he still smiled brightly. It was a smile Eddie wasn't familiar with, but it was beautiful. It was bright. It made the taller boys face light up, made his freckled nose wrinkle at its bridge slightly 

The two boys fell into a comfortable silence, Eddie's warm hand still held in Richie's cold one. Their gazes drifted away from one another and to the sky above them. 

It was a truly beautiful night, just warm enough. The moon was full and bright, begging for someone to look at her. Fireflies occasionally flashed, crickets occasionally chirped. 

The truth that Richie liked Eddie was hard for Eddie to truly grasp, to comprehend. It wasn't impossible, but it seemed to open a new door- a new floodgate of emotion. The emotions were new and powerful and completely captivating. But the new emotions were also concerning

What did these feelings make Riche and Eddie? What did they make Eddie? What would Sonia have to say about this? Why were the emotions so powerful? Why did they make Eddie feel as though his heart could literally pop out of his chest-

Eddie didn't have any answers to these questions. He softly sighed, his dark-eyed gaze landing on the boy next to him, who was still busy appreciating the quiet beauty nature held before them 

"Richie?" Eddie whispered softly, surprising himself with the unintentional quietness of his voice 

"Hmm?" Richie hummed, tearing his eyes from the seemingly endless sky and to Eddie. Eddie chewed on the inside of his cheek a moment. Something about the look in Richie's eyes made Eddie's stomach do flips, made his ribcage feel as though it was filled with wild butterflies 

Eddie looked down to their hands, his thumb gently tracing over a barely visible blue vein "What..." He stopped himself, biting his bottom lip. Richie had a surprisingly patient gaze, an understanding one. "What do you think we are?" Eddie finally spat out, words coming falling from his mouth much faster than he had intended 

Richie didn't really look fazed by his question. He shrugged slightly, smiling just a little "I dunno." He told him, eyes going to his and Eddie's hands

Richie never really liked labels. He found them constricting and limiting, uncomfortable like an ill-fitted suit. Perhaps that had to do more with Richie's inability to find the right label than the label itself, but still, his dislike for labels remained

Eddie was almost completely different. He liked labels. He liked being able to put a name to something- to categorize it into its rightful place. He liked the ability to understand why something was labeled a specific name. It had a sense of rightness to it 

Eddie seemed to chew on his answer for a little while, not finding it to be what he really wanted. "Richie- I know.. Well, I think I know what I want." He said, looking to the spectacled boy next to him 

One of Richie's eyebrows shot up in slight interest "And what would that be?" He asked, a small hint of amusement pulling at his pink lips. Eddie got a tiny bit flustered, shifting his weight slightly on the stone the two were sat on 

"I-I just..." He looked away "I wanna be... with you. I don't know why- but the thought... It's nice. And it feels right and I think it would b-" Eddie stopped rambling as Richie put his index finger under his chin, gently guiding his face to meet his own 

Richie hesitated a moment before moving closer to Eddie, his gaze temporarily going to the other's lips. Richie could feel Eddie's breath on his cheek, quick and warm and uncertain 

Then, their lips connected, hardly grazing one another at first. Both boy's hearts began beating rapidly, wildly. Eddie's eyes fluttered shut as he moved somewhat closer to deepen the kiss. Richie's hand let go of his chin, moving to his hair 

It felt absolutely  _ electric  _ for both boys. It was something neither of them had ever done before, but it was an absolutely welcomed experience It gave them both of them goosebumps and slightly 

Almost as soon as the kiss had begun, though, it was finished. Eddie pulled away just slightly, eyes still closed. He felt truly breathless- as though he had just run a mile. It wasn't an asthma attack, though, it was something more

Richie's lips tingled excitedly, a gentle distraction from what had just occuried. His hand fell from Eddie's cheek "I don't know what I want to be, Eds." Richie whispered softly, voice somewhat hoarse "I just know that I want to be with you." 

Eddie took some time to soak this information up, to truly digest it. He played it around in his mind, letting it sway back and forth

Finally, he nodded. That was a good label- a good answer. "I wanna be with you too." Eddie finally said with a timid smile, looking over to Richie. His heart still beat rapidly, strongly. 

Richie smirked a little bit, playfully ruffling Eddie's hair "I think it's time we get you home." He said, his hand dropping from Eddie's now very messy hair. 

Eddie seemed to silently protest this idea. He didn't want to leave Richie, not now. Not when things feel as if they're just getting alright. He knew he was right, though. If Sonia were to get up in the middle of the night and find that Eddie's bed was empty, she would have a breakdown 

Eddie combed a hand through his hair, trying to fix it before nodding "You're right. But," He looked over to him "Maybe I can sleepover tomorrow or something?" His tone was hopeful, almost childish. It made Richie smile 

"Probably. I got a new record a few days ago, I can't remember it's name. I just liked the album's art." Richie said with a smile, standing up from his seat on the rock "I think you'll like it. I haven't listened to it yet, so we can listen to it then." He told him, beginning to walk back to the car

Eddie smiled, nodding gladly as he stood up from his place on the rock. "And who knows," Richie glanced back at Eddie, who was walking back to the car as well, with a smirk "Maybe I can steal some vodka or something from my dad." 

Eddie rolled his eyes with a smile. Richie knew Eddie wouldn't drink or do drugs or anything Richie would consider to be interesting. That wasn't a problem, because Richie respected Eddie's choice, even if he did tease him about it almost constantly 

The two got into the car, Richie starting it up "But seriously," He said, putting the car in reverse and beginning to pull out "Ask your mom about coming over." Eddie smiled a bit as he buckled up "I will." 

Soon enough, the two boys were off. There was a tension in the car, but Richie didn't really let that stop him from blabbering on about relatively obscure topics whilst he drove Eddie home, who listened gladly 

Eddie couldn't stop stealing glances at Richie. Every time he looked at him, his heart would start beating again. It was a truly lovely feeling the two felt for one another. Eddie hoped he could feel that way forever 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> y e a h 
> 
> while i do think this is a kinda shit concept in terms of writing, ive come to kinda enjoy doing this. i may turn it into a book i regularly update- but that's honestly a fatass perhaps 
> 
> i hope you did enjoy reading it, though :) and if you would please tell me what you think of this chapter/my writing in general, please do so! it would be highly appreciated

**Author's Note:**

> ive never written a reddie concept before lmao so i honestly know this concept sucks dick. whatever though


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